Hand-supported suction brush for clothes



July 7, 1953 4 E. c. CALVIN HANDLSUPPORTED suc'rI oN BRUSH FOR CLOTHES F iiea April 12, 1950 Patented July 7, 195?;

UNITED STATES I PATENT orrlcr.

H CLOTHES Elizabeth 0. Calvin, Leawood, Kans."

Application April 12, 1950, Serial No.,155,467

Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel cleaning device and especially to a novel vacuum clothes cleaning device that is highly effective in the removal of dust, dirt, lint, hairs or other foreign matter from articles of clothing or wearing apparel.

Usually a brush, whisk broom or the like is employed in removing surface dust, hair, lint and other foreign matter from suits, coats, trousers, dresses, etc., but anyone having had the experience of removing such foreign matter and especially from dark clothes and from certain types of materials, knows how difficult, slow and tedious is the task. Furthermore, such particles or foreign matter if and when removed are generally deposited somewhere else and frequently upon other parts of the clothing.

All such disadvantages and objections of prior types of cleaning equipment are obviated'by the present inventionwhich quickly, most effectively and permanently removes such dust, lint, hair and other foreign matter or particles not only from the surface of the fabric, but effectively removes such foreign matter in and between the threads of the fabric and which cannot be reached or removed by any brush or whisk broom.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a novel cleaning device which is of compact construction and design and of relatively light weight so that it may be easily manipulated and operated with one hand. It is so constructed and arranged that the motor housing forms a convenient and easily operable handle that may be grasped and held in the palm of one hand and moved or rubbed over the surface to be cleaned.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel vacuum clothes cleaning unit that effectively and quickly removes dust, lint, hair and other foreign matter by a: combination of suction and a novel construction and arrangement of rotary brushes that together assure optimum cleaning.

.The present invention further comprehends anovel vacuum clothes cleaner that effectively and permanently removes and collects the removed foreign matter from articles of clothing by suction and brushing and filters such foreign matter from the air as it is exhausted. It includes a novel housing or basket having openings covered by a porous substance such as wire mesh that filters out and collects the removed foreign material on the inner surface thereof.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of a novel vacuum clean ing device which may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled for access to the interior and removal of the accumulated dirt, dust, lint, hairs, threads and other matter that may collect upon articles of clothing or wearing apparel.

A still further object of the present novel invention-is the provision of a novel suction fan in which the fan blades carry brushes that combine with the blades in providing most effective cleaning. In the present novel embodiment the end cap of the cleaning device and which is the part that is rubbed over the surface to be cleaned, is provided with concentrically arranged, arouate slots so disposed that as'the blades rotate the cloth is drawn against and into these slots and the brushes are intermittently brought into registry with these slots and contact the clothing relatively lightly but sufficient togiveoptimum cleaning results.

As these slots are not continuous but spaced apart, thesuction applied to the clothing as the device is rubbed thereover is'not extreme, and it is found that with a relatively low suction as contemplated by the present invention and the intermittent contactof the material being cleaned by the brushes, provides a most effective cleaning action by merely rubbing the face or end of the unit lightly over the garment.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and-comprehends other details,'arrangements of parts, features, and constructions without departing from the spirit of the invention;

In'the drawing; 1 I

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of the novel vacuum cleaning device assembled 'andready for use.

Fig. 2 is 'a view in perspective of the device disassembled and the component parts separated for more complete disclosure.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryenlarged view in vertical cross-section and taken in a plane represented by the line 3'3 of Fig. 1, the View showing the manner'in which clothes are cleaned by the combination of suction and'contact of v the rotatable brushes.

in the drawing and to the novel illustrative embodiment therein shown, there is disclosed a novel vacuum clothes cleaning device of a size such that the motor I thereof will fit conformably in the hand and may be readily. grasped by the operator. The projecting end 2 of the drive or motor shaft 3 is provided with a pin or pins 4 projecting laterally from the motor or driveshaft. The shaft end 2 extends through anopening 5 in a reduced end wall or base 6 of a cup-shaped housing or basket 1. This housing or basket is of skeleton form or in the form of a rela tive ly open frame having a plurality of openings or cut-outs 8 covered by a wire mesh screen or perforate material 9 suitable for permittingair to pass therethrough but filtering out and retaining thereon lint, hair, threads, dust and other foreign particles. Screws or other attaching means anchor the end wall 6 of the housing onto the end wall II of the motor and thereby provide a rigid unit assembly. I

The housing or basket 'Iis provided with a peripheral, cylindrical flange l2 having suitably spaced and outwardly projecting pins or projections l3 adapted for detachably mounting and retaining upon this flange an end cap or closure I4 provided with an annular cylindrical flange I adapted to conformably receive the peripheral flange [2 of the housing. This flange I5 is provided with spaced bayonet or substantially L- shaped slots provided in embossrnents l6 adapted to receive the pins or projections l3 and readily and detachably lock the end cap [4 onto the housing but permit its ready removal for access to the interior of the housing or basket or the operating parts.

The face plate or end wall I! of the end cap I4 is preferably provided with two concentrically arranged sets of spaced arcuately shaped slots l8 and I9, and from the interior of the .face plate or end wall of the end cap projects a stub shaft 20 suitably staked thereto. Detachably and rotatably mounted upon this stub shaft 20 is a hub 2! of a suction fan having a plurality of blades 22 for drawing air through the, spaced arcuate slots l8 and IS in the face plate or end wall 1] and ejecting or exhaustingthi's. air through the perforated material 9 covering the openings or cut-outs 8 in the housing orbasketl. Thehousing or basket I and the end, cap [4 combine to form an enclosure for the fan. To rotate the fan through the motor or drive shaft 3 but provide a readily detachable connection therebetween, the hub 2| thereof is providedwith a plurality of longitudinally extending pins 23 adapted to receive therebetween theradial pins orprojections 4 extending laterally or transversely from the motor shaft 3. I I

Each blade 22 of the fan is shown as provided with a relatively small and outwardly fa'nd axially" projecting brush 24 with the brushes, on adjacent blades being offset or spaced at. difierentradial distances from theaxis of thef-an, whereby successive brushes 24 rotate in intermittent registry with the arcuate slots or openings 18 and [9 respectively, in the face plate or end wall I! of the end cap I4,

The motor is preferably provided with Ta, control switch A located at some. accessible portion of the motor housing I, and theunit is shown as provided with the usual electrical cord25 and plug 26 for plugging the cleaner unit into any accessible service outlet. I v

In the present novel device there is provid'eda novel compact and easily handled clothes vacuum cleaner that is of light weight. The motor is of relatively high speed but of relatively low suction so that the article of clothing B being cleaned (see Fig. 3) is drawn lightly into the arcuate slots I8 and I9 and thereat engaged or contacted lightly by the brushes 24. The small tufts of bristles need touch the clothing but lightlyto lift the lint, hairs, duster other foreign particles from the surf'aee to be clearied. The pressure of the bristles is controlled effectively by the size of the slots IR and I9, and the intermittent contact places little or no drag upon the motor sothat its speed maintained.

As the suction applied is relatively low for most effective operation, the unit slides smoothly over the surface of the clothing, regardless of the material .of which the article is made. The lint, threads, hair and other foreign matter removed is drawn into the unit and against the interior of the wire screen or porous covering 9. Collecting on the interior surface of this screen or perforated covering, this lint, hairs, threads and the like, line the surface of the screen and provide an effective filter for removing and retaining the dust or other relatively fine particles. When the pores of the screen become too clogged to permit effective operation, all that is required to clean the housing, frame or basket 1 is to remove the endcap l4 and fan and shake out the accumulated mass or residue.

I have also found that cleaning of the brushes 24 is unnecessary. Due to their intermittent action and construction of single tufts, they are maintained free of any accumulation of lint, threads, hair and the like. I I

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In a vacuum clothes cleaning device, mechanism for cleaning the clothes of foreign matter by suction and by intermittent; brushing of the surface of the clothes to which suction is applied, including a suction fan having a plurality of fan blades, and anenclosure for the fan provided at one end with a relatively flat rubbing surface for contacting the surface of of the clothes and having a plurality of spaced arcuate slots through which the air drawn into the enclosure, brushes carried by and projecting from the blades toward the slots and with which slots the brushes are brought into intermittent registry whereby to intermittently contact and brush the clothes, discharge passages in the sides of said enclosure through which the air drawn into the enclosure escap s. and a fjoraminous ma al covering. h d scha e passaeesfor collecting and retaining the foreign "matter on the interior thereof. I

2. In a vacuum clothes cleaner comprising a motor and motor housingincluding a drive shaft projecting from an end thereof, a housing merriber mounted on the shaft-projecting end 0f the motor housing and into which theshaft projects,

said member being open .at. one end, a readily removable end cap for the open end- .of said member, concentric arcuate sl'ots'p'rovided in the face of the end cap, a suction fan detachably'a'nd removably mounted on the shaft within said member and providedwith blades for drawing airthrough the slots and into said member, and brushes carried by the'bl'ade s and extending from the blades toward the open end of said member and, when rotated with the fan, said brushesar'e brought intermittently into registr with the arcuate slots, the suction createdby'rapid rotatiOn of the blades lightly drawilfig th'fi'fal'bri'c. iIitO the slots where it is intermittently contacted by the brushes.

3. A vacuum clothes cleaner comprising a cupshaped frame having an open end and a plurality of outlet openings in the side wall thereof for the discharge therethrough of air, filtering means covering said openings, a suction fan in the frame, brushes carried by the blades'of the fan and extending therefrom toward the open end of the frame, an end cap having a flat face plate covering the open end of the frame adapted to be lightly rubbed over the clothes and provided with spaced slots with which the brushes are intermittently brought into registry and through which suction is applied, and means for rapidly rotating the fan and brushes.

4. A vacuum clothes cleaner of light weight and of a size to be conveniently grasped with one hand and readily and easily operated, comprising a motor providing both a source of power and a handle for grasping and operating the cleaner, a frame secured at one end to the motor and open at its other end and provided on its exterior with openings for the passage and exhaust of air, a motor drive shaft projecting into the frame, a fan mounted on the motor shaft, brushes mounted on the blades of the fan and extending therefrom toward the open end of the frame, a perforate covering for said openings and providing means for filtering the exhausted air passing therethrough, and a removable end cap for the open end of the frame having an end plate adapted to be rubbed over the surface of the clothes to be cleaned and provided with spaced openings adapted to intermittenly receive the ends of the brushes and through which air carrying dust, dirt, lint and other foreign matter is drawn, the foreign matter being filtered and removed from the air stream as it is discharged through the perforate covering and openings in the frame.

5. A vacuum cleaner for cleaning dirt, dust,

lint, hair and other foreign particles from fabric, comprising a motor, a motor drive shaft projecting from one end of the motor, a housing member into which the motor drive shaft projects, said member being open at one end and secured at the other end to the motor and provided with discharge passages in the sides thereof, suction means carried by the drive shaft, brushes mounted on the suction means and projecting therefrom toward the open end of said member, a filtering screen covering the discharge passages permitting the dis-charge therethrough of air drawn into said member but filtering out and collecting the foreign particles, and an end cap for the open end of said member and provided with spaced inlet ports over which the brushes rotate and through which the. air and foreign particles carried thereby are drawn.

ELIZABETH C. CALVIN.

' References Cited in the me of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

